Centrifugal machine



Aug. 23, 1932. L JQNES 1,872,962

GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed April 13, 1925 Patented Aug. 23, 1932:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEO D. JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHARPLES SPECIALTY COMPANY," OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE i Application filed April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,726.

trifugal" bowls rotated at high speeds as in the purification of the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine, several factors determine the axis about which the bowl will rotate at any given instant. When the bowl is first started any lack of balance of the rotating parts about their geometrical axis will immediately tend to cause the bowl to seek an axis of rotation other than its geometric axis. After the bowl has acquired a certain speed a gyroscopic effect is produced and the bowl seeks to rotate about an axis passing through its center of gravity. In addition to these effects, devices employed to compensate for these eifects will exert an influence on the position in which, and the axis about which, the bowl rotates, producing a problem diflicult of exact mathematical solution and requiring provision for articulation or flexure at some point of the rotating syss.

tem.

It is an object of my invention to provide a centrifugal machine whereby lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine may be purified and having a coupling whereby power may be transmitted to the centrifugal bowl and whereby forces tending to interfere with the proper operation of the bowl by reason of its lack of balance about its geometrical axis and by reason of other influences may be compensated for to the end that proper rotation of the bowl at high speeds may be safely and effectively carried out. To this end my invention includes means for limiting angular motion of the axis of the bowl with respect to the axis of the driving means therefor and means actively tending to bring the 1 'axis of rotation of the bowl intodesired relation to the axis of rotation of .the source of power, said devices acting without appreci able friction and providing for the rotation tion,

of the centrifugal bowl at a speed above its critical speed as herein'set forth.

' My invention is susceptible of embodiment in simple, durable and practical forms, and other objects and advantages thereof will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which: i Fig. 1 shows partly in vertical section a centrifugal machine embodying my inven- Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a further modification of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

The constructions shown in the drawing are intended as mere illustrations of embodiments that-contain my invention A centrifugal bowl 1 is rotated by a motor 2, but it is not an essential feature of my invention that the centrifugal bowl be supported from below. The motor shaft 3 and the bowl spindle 4 are respectively provided in their ends with recesses 5 and 6 within which is located a resilient restoring member 7 Surrounding the end of the spindle 4 and the end of the shaft 3, is a sleeve-like limiting member 8. The limiting member 8 closely fits one of the parts surrounded by it and is slightly spaced from the other of the parts, for example, as shown in the drawing the limiting member closely fits the end of the shaft 3 and is fixed-thereon by means of a set screw 9; and there is a slight clearance be-' tween the inner surface of the limiting member 8 and the end of the spindle 4. The clearance between the/limiting member and one of the parts within it, for example, the spindle 4, may be uniform throughout its extent or it may increase gradually toward the end of the limiting member. That member, for example, thespindle 4 that loosely fits the inner surface'of the limiting. member 8 is tubular portion 16 that leads to the motor 2.

internal combustion engine as more fully set out in the co-pending Patent No. 1,657 ,941,

ranted January 31, 1928, to myself and hilip T. Sharples. In the construction shown herein a pipe 12 leads oil from the lubricating system of the internal combustion engine and discharges it into the centrifugal bowl 1. The bowl is provided with wings 13 that insure the rotation of the oil within the centrifugal bowl and purified oil is discharged over the edge 14 of theoutlet opening 14 at the top of the bowl, impuritiesof the oil being retained within the bowl. A

casing 15 surrounds the centrifugal bowl and is provided with a downwardly extending Air preferably heated by the heat of theengineis supplied to the tubular extension 16 by means of an inlet passage 17; and wings 18 on the centrifugal bowl, preferably at the bottom'thereof,'cause the air or other as enteringthrough the inlet'passage 17 to e clrculated upwardly through the casing 15 through and preferably in counter-current to the descending purified oil that is being discharged in a finely divided or dispersed state over the edge 14 of the outlet of the centrifugal bowl. The air or gas passes out. through the oil inlet opening 19 ofthecasing 15 and at that opening wings 20 are preferably provided in order to.seeure proper circulation of the air or gas entering the inlet,

passage 17, as by preventing the air or' gas in the chamber '15 from rotatingunder themfluence of the rotation of the bowl 1 at the passage 19. The circulation of air through i the chamber 15 through the dispersed purified oil will accomplish an evaporation of the more volatile constituents that are in solution extension. 16 air may be drawn through the in the purified oil; and through the tubular motor and effect a coolin thereof. The tubular extension 16 exten s upwardly within the chamber 15 in order to prevent purified oil that is collected in the bottom of the chamber 15 from passing into the tubular extension 16, the purified oil being passed through the outlet pipe 21. Extendm outwardly from the upper endof the tubu ar extension 16 and in clpse proximity to the wings 18 is a flange or disk 22 that assists 1n rendering the wings 18 effective to cause a circulation of air entering the inlet '17 and also assists I in preventing/purified oilv from entering the tubular extension 16. i

- In the operation of the ce Iitrifu a1 device for purifymg the lubricating oil 0 an 'automoblle engine that is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing the motor 2-is started and while the bowl is not yet rotating to have a gyroscopic efiect o rapidly enough its own, any lack of balance of the bowl about its geometric axis will cause the bowl to/swing to one side of the axis of the motor-but such swinging motion will be limited by the limiting member 8 to the extent of the clearance between the spindle 4 and the inner surface of the limiting member 8. The resilient restoring member 7 that closely fits the recesses in the abutting ends of the shaft 3 and-the spindle 4 will tend to bring the spindle 4 into alignment with the shaft 3 and will have a period of vibration depending upon its stiffness. As the speed of the rotation approaches the period of vibration of the restoring member 7 the rotating system approaches its critical speed and at its critical speed-the limiting member is effective to prevent rupture by bending of the driving system; After the bowl has obtained a speed at which it has agyroscopic eflect it will tend to rotate about ing to disturb or shift the axis of rotation of the bowl and the effects of those forces are very complicatedlbut Ihave found in practice that the provision of aqlimiting member and a restoring member in a construction substantially free from'friction and wherein all elements are rotating will provide for such shiftin of the axis of the rotating bowl as cannot e entirely prevented and will result in bringing the axis of rotation of the bowl.

into such relation with the axisof the motor that smooth and practicable operation are at tained at speedsof operation well above the critical speed of the rotating system and in the neighborhood of 8,000.1;0 10,000 R. P. M. In arotating system such as that found in 'a centrifugal machine wherei'n the bowl is unbalanced with respect to its geometrical axis it is necessarythat some .point of articulation v a or flexure be provided and I have found that a construction embodying my invention affordspracticable operation of a centrifugal bowl.

In the construction shownin Fig. 2 the bottom of the bowl lis shown in part and as Shown is provided with a spindle 4' that is formed with a head 4 threaded on its outer surface and provided" om its inner surface with a spherically formed face 4",. The" shaft 3 of the motor 2 (shown in part), has a spherical head 25 attached to it as by set screw 26, and engaging the s herical face 4"? 3 is a nut 27 Surrounding the motorsha that is threaded to the head 4" and is provided with a spherical face 28 that engages the spherical head 25; The nut 27 is elons gated as shown and the opening therein through which .the shaft 3 passes large" enough to provide a slight clearance around i the motor shaft 3. The elongation of the nut 27 therefore provides a limiting member that nsvaaoa limits the amount of bending or articulation that can take place in the coupling formed by the spherical head 25 and the spherical faces In order that the axis of rotation of the- I centrifugal bowl may be restored to proper relation with respect to the axis of the motor the shaft of the motor is provided with a recess into which closely fits resilient restoring member 7 and the opposed end of the spindle 4 is provided with a recess 51 into which the restoring member 7 extends. In the bottom of the recess 51 the restoring member 7 fits closely but throughout the remainder of the recess 51 there is a clearance between the inner surface thereof and the restoring member 7 in order that articulatlon of the bowl joint is not locked but is merely resisted by the resilience of. the restoring member 7.

In the modification shown inFig. 3 the centrifugal bowl 1 is shown in part and is provided with a spindle 4 that has in its end a recess 31 that tapers outwardly to a slight extent. The shaft 3 of the motor 2 (shown in part) fits into the recess 31,-the recess be ing'so formed that the shaft 3 -closely fits the bottom thereof and an increasing clearance is provided in the directionof the end ofthe spindle 4. vRotation is transmitted from the shaft 3 to the spindle 4 as by means of a threaded stud 32 that passes freely through' an opening 33 in the spindle a and is fixed in the shaft 3. The end of the spindle 4 is threaded and a hollow nut 34 compresses against'the end of the spindle 4 a ring 35 of resilient material such as .rubber, the opening in the nut 34 through which the shaft 3 passes being sufficiently large to permit such relative motion between the axis I of'the-spindle 4 and the axis of the shaft 3' as is provided for by the clearance between the shaft 3 and the inner face of the recess alimited amount of angularity between the axis of the spindle and the axis of the shaft, 3, the tapering walls of the recess 31 acting 31; The varying clearance between. the shaft 3 and the inner face of the recess 31 permits as a limiting member to control, that angularity. The ring 35 operates as a restoringmember since the resilience thereof exerts a force tending to bring the axis of rotation of the bowl into proper and practicable rela tion with the axis of the motor shaft 3.- The nut 34 is adjusted to so compress the ring 35 that it will certainly-be in close engagement with the motor shaft i In order that the impurities collected in the centrifugal bowl 1 mayb readily. removed therefrom the spindle coupling provided may be disconnected in any convenient manner as by removing the threaded studs 10 or 32 or by undoing the nut 27.

While I have described various embodiments of my invention with great detail I do not intend that my invention shall be limited to those details but that it shall include such variations and modifications as fall within the hereunto appended claims. In this connection stiffening of the resilient restoring member 7, as by shortening the part thereof that is free to bend, decreases the period of vibration thereofand makes the critical speed of rotation higher. and may make it so high that the bowl will have acquired a gyroscopic efiect before critical speed is attained. Thus by adjustment of the resilient restoring member the critical speed may be made higher or lower to suit the requirements of any particular conditions. L

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a high speed centrifugal machine, a driving member rotatable about a vertical axis, a driven member substantially coaxial therewith, a coupling connecting said driving and driven members for rotation and flexion, means carried by .said coupling and rotating therewith for positively limiting the extent of flexion between said driving and driven members and separate means rotating with said members and tending to bring them into alinement onewith the other, said last named means being substantially fr'ee'from relative motion of parts in contact during such limited fiexion.

2. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxial therewith, means connecting saidmembers in posi-.

tive driving relation and for positively limited uniform universal angular misalinement of one member with respect to the other, and an axially; positioned 'alinement restoring 'member'fixed with respect to the axes of, said members and having'a portion free for fiexure. 3. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a'rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxial there-' with, afirst one of said members having a part closely fitting one part of the other of said members and permitting universal angularmisalinement of one member with respect to the other, said first member being provided with a part closely surrounding but spaced from anotherpart of said other-mem- I bet and positively limiting substantially uniformly said. universal axial misalinement, and said members being connected in positive driving relation, and a resilient alinement restoring member operatively engaging bothof said first named members.

4. In va centrifugal machmefa rotatable riving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxial therewith, a; first one of said members having an axial recess and the other of said members extending into said recess and being engaged by the inner surface thereof at an inner point of said recess but otherwise slightly spaced from said innersurface whereby said members are free for closely limited universal angular misalinement,,means connecting said members for simultaneous rotation, and

means tending to aline said members.

5. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxial-therewith, a first one of said members having an axial recess and the other of said members extending into said recess and being engaged by the inner surface thereof at an inner point' of said recess but otherwise slightly spaced from said inner surface whereby said members are free for closely limited universal angular misalinement, the wall of said recess having an opening, a pin fixed to said other member and extending into said opening and holding said members against relative rotation, and meansvtending to aline said mem- I bers.

6. In. a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxial therewith, means connecting said members in'positive rotational driving relation for positive-.

' ly limited angular misalinement of one memwith, a first one of said members having an axial recess in its end and slightly expanding outwardly and the other of said members extending into said recess with its end closely engaging the inner surface of said recess at an inner point thereof and with another part of its outer surface slightly spaced from the inner surface of said recess whereby positively limited angular misalinement of said members is provided for, means connecting said members for simultaneous rotation, and means tending to aline said members.

8. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-sup orting spindle member substantially coaxia therewith, a first one of said members having an axial recess in its end and slightly expanding outwardly and the other of saidmembers extending into said recess with its end closely engaging the inner surface of said recess Lemons at an inner point thereof and with another part of its outer surface slightly spaced from the inner surface of said recess whereby positively limited angular misalinement of said members is provided for, v the wall of said recess having an opening, a projection extending from said other member into said opening, and means tending to aline said members.

9. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member substantially coaxialtherewith, a first one of said members having an axial recess in its end and slightly expanding outwardly and the other of said members extending into said recess with its end closely engaging the inner surface of said recess at an inner point thereof and with another part of its outer surface slightly spaced from the inner surface of said recess whereby positively limited angular misalinement of said members is provided'for, means connecting said members for simultaneous rotation, and a resilient alinement restoring member operatively engaging said members.

10. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable driving shaft member, a rotor-supporting spindle member, substantially coaxial therewith; means positivel holding said members against relative rotatlon, a limiting part carried by one of said members and encircling the other of 'said members in substantially uniformly radially spaced relation for positively limiting angular misalinement of said members, and alinement restoring means respectively engaging said members.

11. In a centrifugal machine, a driving shaft member mounted forrotation, a rotorspindle member substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to be connected to a centrifugal rotor, one of said members having a part encircling and engaging a part of the other of said members and holding said parts against radial misalinement while permitting universal angular misalinement of said members, and one of said members having a part encircling but spaced from a part of the other of said members and positively limiting substantially uniformly said universal axial misalinement, and said members being connected in posltive rotational driving relation, and a resilient alinement restoring member operatively engaging both of said members. I

12. In a centrifugal machine, a driving member, a centrifugal bowl having a spindle member coaxial with said driving member, each of said members having an axial recess, a resilient member engaging in said recesses, a sleeve surrounding and connected to said spindle member and said driving member for limiting flexion of said driving member and said spindle member and for imparting rotation'from said driving member to said spindle member. I

13. In a centrifugal machine, a centrifugal 1 bowl having a spindle member, a drivmg member, each of said members havmg an axial recess, a resilient member engaging in said recesses, and means surrounding and connected with said spindle member and said driving member for limiting relative flexion thereof and for imparting rotation from the driving member to the spindle member.

m 14. In a centrifugal machine, a centrifugal bowl having a spindle member, a driving member, each of said members having an axial recess, a resilient member engaging in said recesses, and a sleeve surrounding the m ends of said spindle member and said driving member and attached to said members for rotation therewith and having a portion radially spaced from one of said members to limit relative flexion of said members.

so 15. In a centrifugal machine, a centrifugal bowl having a spindle. member, a driving member, a part forlimiting relative flexion of said members and connected to one of said members for rotation therewith and having a portion surrounding the other of said members in radially spaced relation and connected to said other member for rotation therewith, and an alinement restoring element posi- "tioned axially of said members.

0 g 16. In a centrifugal machine, a driving shaft member mounted for rotation, a rotorspindle member substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to be connected to a centrifugal rotor, an element having a portion 35 encircling and engaging one of said members and having another portion encircling and radially spaced from the other of, said members, said element being adapted tolimit'; positively and substantially uniformly angu- 40 lar misalinement of said members,,and said members being connected in positive rotational driving relatign, and a resilient aline ment restoring mem ero rative en a both of said members. V y

45 In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. I

- LEO D. JONES. 

